They had a great deal of trouble staying together. The gloomy, wet mist that surrounded them obscured all vision- even their elven guide couldn't see ahead to lead them. Brush and tree trunks became frightening obstacles to scrape hands and bump feet against. The trunks and branches appeared to jump out at them as the adventurers passed around them slowly. Their group traveled on in a ragged line. Kohar the Strong had tied a light but sturdy rope to each man's wrist earlier on their trek in the hope of binding each other. Eleazar tried to keep them quiet and calm: "Don't worry now, everyone, keep on your feet and we'll be fine." Kyriel's deep voice seemed to echo with grim authority and unshakable nerve. "My blade is humming! There must be something magical ahead of us." "I've discovered a break in the brambles," said Tiridan abruptly. "Shall we go in?," he asked the others. "Sure!" said Josefetta. "Let us proceed with caution," said Gwenolynn with more sincerity. "I sense that there is someone beyond this opening that needs our help!" she added succinctly. "Well then, by all means!" said Eleazar finally. The fog thinned as they passed through the opening one at a time. The first thing they noticed was that the temperature was much cooler in the place beyond than in the forest they had come from. As the last adventurer passed through, the fog lifted. A few minutes passed as the they stopped to look around themselves. A ring of huge trees with magnificent bows surrounded them. Zadok counted forty in number. At the base of the ring, a six foot high layer of brambles with sharp thorns blocked out the surrounding forest. Beneath their feet was a flat bed of green grass. "These trees look like redwoods, but they're not- they are of a variety that I have never seen before," said Tiridan. "It would appear that we are in some sort of magic glen!," said Primmy. Kyriel drew his blade slowly and deliberately. "My blade is fully activated. It hasn't operated this way since we attacked those skeletons in the North Port mines." In fact, when the adventurers checked their magic weapons, they all acted as if fully charged- they even glowed brightly! Gwenolynn broke them out of their curious thinking: "I've found her, over here." All brought their weapons out and looked around for any enemy. Eleazar resumed command. "Wait now," he ordered, "Gwen, can you tell if there is anyone else around?" Gwenolynn closed her eyes for a moment. "I can tell that there are other beings away to our south, but no one else here. "Very well then," said Eleazar, "Zadok?..." "I know, I know," answered Zadok happily -- send the Physician out to the wounded..." "Tsim and Kohar," ordered Eleazar, "protect Zadok and Gwen." "Well now, young lady, let's see what you are about," said Zadok cheerfully as he put his mace back in his belt. Zadok went over to the young lady and reached down to feel her wrist for a pulse. "She has a faint pulse, but her nails are slightly blue ... I don't see any breaks, but oh- look at that bump on her head!.." Their physician checked her neck, her spine, and then looked for any tell tale signs of internal injury. "I'm not going to move her just yet," he said formally. Zadok gently brushed back her fine hair in order to examine her face. It had no wounds and it seemed to glow radiantly. All the men in their band gasped at the sight of her. They had found a very beautiful young elven girl with long blonde hair and deep blue eyes. Zadok seemed to be unaffected. "Looks like all that is wrong is this contusion," he said. "Here goes..." he added. Zadok waved his right hand over the place several times as a bright glow appeared above the injury. Slowly, ever so slowly, it healed completely. "Doesn't look like she'll even have a scar," said Gwenolynn, who had now moved in to help. "Good work as always, Zadok," she added matter of factually. Tsim and Kohar just smiled. Gwenolynn reached down to the young girl with her right hand and placed it on the elven girl's forehead. Seconds later, the elven girl woke up in a coughing fit. Gwenolynn removed her hand and took a step back. The elven girl tried to get up in order to run, but Zadok put his hand on her shoulder and stopped her. "Easy there, Miss, calm down, calm down now- you are among friends," stated Zadok serenely. "Don't worry, youngling," said Gwenolynn soothingly. "I'm an elf too. I can tell that you are very scared because of what you are going through. Did not my mind touch your's? We're not going to hurt you..." The elven girl started to cry. Big wet tears just rolled down her pretty cheeks. Zadok and Gwenolynn bent over and hugged her until she stopped weeping. "I can tell that she's filled with goodness," said Kyriel to Eleazar. "There is no evil in her..." "That's a relief." said Eleazar. Everyone calmed down. End of Chapter 6 Back to Arveta 6 Table of Contents Back to Arveta List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2001 by Abram Paradies. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com